Capitol Report: Republican senators roll out bill that would end all future shutdowns

The automation megatrend now has a role in the debate about the ongoing partial government shutdown, as a group of Republican senators is proposing to make temporary fixes automatic in a bid to avoid futures shutdowns.

“The measure will create an automatic continuing resolution for any regular appropriations bill or existing CR, keeping the federal government open when budget negotiations falter before key spending deadlines,” the lawmakers said in a news release.

After 120 days, funding would be reduced by 1%, and it then would be cut by 1% again every 90 days “until Congress does its job and completes the annual appropriations process,” the senators added.

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Their bill comes on Day 21 of the current shutdown, which was triggered by a dispute over money for President Donald Trump’s proposed wall at the southern border. Trump on Wednesday left a negotiating session after clashing with top Democratic lawmakers, and the Republican president stated Thursday that he could declare a national emergency in order to build his wall if there’s no spending deal with Democrats, saying “probably I will do it. I would almost say definitely.”

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The Democratic-controlled House has been passing measures this week to reopen shuttered federal agencies.

Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he won’t bring any of the House-passed bills that would reopen the government to the floor.

The GOP senators who joined Grassley in rolling out the bill were John Barrasso of Wyoming, Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mike Lee of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio and Jim Risch of Idaho.